Utility and power generator SSE will use SgurrEnergy's Galion LIDAR to assess power performance at its Griffin wind farm, located near Perthshire, Scotland.

SgurrEnergy will deploy a Galion G4000 LIDAR at the base of a 2.3 MW test turbine to gauge the power output of the machine. The accuracy of the measurements will then be verified against a reference met mast, used to assess the conformance of the turbine to the manufacturer's warranted power curve, and help characterize the turbine's response to complex wind conditions at the Griffin wind farm site.

SgurrEnergy notes that a recent wind measurement technique - similar to that which will be used at Griffin wind farm - achieved independent verification by Fraunhofer IWES. What's more, SgurrEnergy says the International Electrotechnical Commission engineering standard which governs power performance assessment is currently being updated to reflect remote sensing technologies, such as LIDAR.